March is here! I'm always glad to leave the -Uary months behind; they're so decidedly part of winter. At least with March, there's a wisp of hope for Spring. Even if there is sn*w, it's usually not long-lasting, and I can feel as if it's more a bug than a feature. (My father always called March's weather Women's Weather since it was so changeable. He was a terrible chauvinist at his core, but he could be surprisingly enlightened about so many things. In truth, he was more Marchlike than he would ever admit. If you're into that sort of thing, he was pretty much The Pisces Man.)
Anyway, we've had plenty of changeable weather here: a couple of days ago we reached 77 degrees (F), had a stretch of 60's, and today there is bright sunshine, but we're struggling to see 40. Winds have been high and gusty and from all different directions. A couple of days early in the month we had a bit of frozen precipitation, but nothing that required any action or caused me to despair. I'm grateful.
I did have reason to despair recently, however. I ended up with a nasty cold that hung around for about ten days. So aggravating! I hadn't had a cold for years and years. This one really sapped my strength and stamina--so much coughing! Unfortunately, I wasn't able to take walks during some of the really nice weather, but there will be more. And Rick brought out two chairs onto the patio so that we could sit and enjoy the sun and warmth at least.
Last year, we had a landscaping company take out all the stone paths and landscape beds in the back yard and put a lawn back in. (The black walnut tree behind us just kept killing everything, and we spend so much time at the lake in the summer that the maintenance was prohibitive.) I was more than a little regretful about all the daffodils I had planted back there in the beds. They were all different shades of white and pink, and I really looked forward to them as true harbingers of Spring each year (especially after the damn squirrels ate every single one of my tulips the year after I planted them). I consoled myself with the idea that I had a few clutches of them out front, at least.
Well, when the temperatures stayed warm for several days, even overnight, I started seeing shoots of daffodils coming up through the backyard grass! Even where I had never planted any. Some are in the middle of the yard where the flagstone path was, and some are in front of the swing where there was an entire area of flagstone. THEY ARE EVERYWHERE! I grabbed a bunch of plant markers from the garage and stuck them in the ground wherever I saw shoots. I HAVE FIFTEEN MARKERS IN MY BACK YARD WHERE THERE ARE DAFFODILS COMING UP! I am so excited. I feel like Surprise Daffodils are the best daffodils. I can't wait until they have buds and flower.
It's always nice to have a little something to look forward to, isn't it? And isn't it so very pleasant to be surprised by something simple? I tell my husband often how Very Lucky He Is to have a partner whose Joys are so easily procured and provoked. He doesn't need to shop at Tiffany or Coach or places like that. He can bring me home birdseed, a water lily for our little backyard pond, or some raspberries. Or some really good ice cream.
I'm really looking forward to those daffodils and getting the pond and waterfall up and running. Maybe we'll put a few fish in it this year for Theo to feed. Surprise fish! That should be fun.
Surprise daffodils ARE the best daffodils! But honestly, I'm not too surprised they popped up despite you having the pavers and beds taken out - unless they dug out every single bulb some were bound to make a comeback.
ReplyDeleteGigi--I was worried because the whole yard was rototilled and raked out. Many of these daffs have showed up where I DID NOT plant any. I'm guessing they were relocated by the rototilling? Doesn't matter, actually. I'm just glad they're out there.
DeleteI'm sorry about your cold. As if there'd ever be a good time to have one, but during nice stretches of warm weather is a total bummer. On the other hand surprise daffodils are a prize. Ours seem a little pokey about blooming this year, but I'm watching them encouraged by what I see so far.
ReplyDeleteAlly--Thank you. I was so irritated to catch that cold, and so frustrated by its duration. I was immediately catapulted back to my childhood when it seemed I was always sick with something, sleeping propped up and surrounded by Kleenex.
DeleteYour daffodils will bloom well before mine since you are quite south of me. Mine won't really be in full bloom for another couple of weeks at least. I can't wait!
I haven't seen any daffodils yet but I hear they are poking out of the ground on the other end of our campus.
ReplyDeleteJean--In a few weeks, you'll need to take a stroll down there and take a look. Daffodils are such a joy to see. They really do mark the season of Spring.
DeleteYay! I love daffodils! And BOO to stupid squirrels eating your tulip bulbs. They really are a pest, aren't they? I hope you're feeling all better after your cold, that is no fun at all.
ReplyDeleteJ--I'm guessing daffodil season is just about over for you, perhaps. I know you enjoyed it.
DeleteAbout the only joy I get out of squirrels is hearing Theo call for them. I taught him the word over the weekend, and we spent lots of time at many windows calling for the black squirrels that live in his neighbourhood. He says, "Quirl! Quirl!"
And thank you--I am feeling almost 100% now. Still getting back up to strength, but generally back to normal. Being sick makes me so mad!
Surprise daffodils for the win! How crazy that they're popping up in places where you hadn't even planted them. Sorry about the cold. That's the pits. Don't tell Coach, but I called Curly out of school when it was sunny out so she could lounge on the deck with me during nap time (her most important classes are 1st period and last period and she's getting straight As). It was glorious and a total sign of summer time lounging soon to come.
ReplyDeleteErnie--Thank you--I really resent being sick. Aren't my vitamins supposed to take care of that?!
DeleteI completely understand about that sun time on the deck/patio. As soon as I saw the forecast, I asked Rick to get some chairs out there. One morning, I even took my coffee out there, braving the wind, just to feel the sun first thing. Glorious is right!
I am guessing that your daffs have been curated by squirrels. The one bulb they do not eat, but they do dig them, in hopes, I guess and then replant them. They also do this with squilla, a wonderful name for a brave little blue spring flower that was gifted to my parents' house one year and stayed.
ReplyDeleteI gather your cold also stayed. Did you do a Covid test at all? I see quite a few people with masks and am wondering if we will get another round, now that the weather has moderated enough to bring folk out.
Yes, we had a few bright and unfrozen days and the ground is showing through the snow in a lot of places. My daff bed, however, is still mostly covered. I am looking forward to April, our spring usually. However the sap is running and everyone was madly boiling on the weekend. Until the fog arrived, we had sun.
I love the thought of your deck chairs and sneaking daffs popping up. Lovely.
Mary--I wondered about a Squirrel Landscaping Service as well. If they did do it, then that is the one thing they are good for. Perhaps they are finally atoning for all the times they scaled the garage moulding and raided my bird feeder.
DeleteI did not do a Covid test. I didn't have a fever or aches, and Rick never got sick. I was going to do one out of an abundance of caution, but all five of our tests (supplied by the government) had expired.
Hooray for seeing grass! Here's to more of it appearing day by day. Have JG go and plant a lawn chair on a patch of it just for defiance's sake. Claim Your Spring!
I shall wish for sunny warm days that bring you an early spring thaw and lots of good maple syrup. (But mostly early spring!) XO
I am in the middle of a nasty allergy attack (I hope, sincerely, since I had new hire orientation yesterday & was sneezing on 6 other people. If I'd had the option of staying home I would have.). It was a result of meandering in my dad's back yard on Saturday to check out the beaver activity on his creek. He's so excited - like a little kid. It was fun, but now, I suffer. So commiserations to you!
ReplyDeleteSpeaking of my dad, one year UPS went on strike for what felt like forever (6 weeks maybe?). While he wasn't working he planted crocus bulbs in the middle of the yard in a heart shape. What a fun surprise for my mom!
Bug--We had beavers show up at the lake, building a dam under some boat docks. Not good. They had to be urged to relocate. They're cute, but very destructive.
DeleteCrocuses (croci? crocii?) are up around here, but none in a heart-shaped planting that I've seen around the neighbourhood. What a lovely idea.